Abstract: A system for preventing upward migration of contaminants in soil having capillary pores defined therein, the system comprising the soil and a hydrophobic substance applied to the soil, the substance being attracted to enter the capillary pores so that a barrier is formed which, under unsaturated soil conditions, prevents the upward migration of contaminants carried by water through the capillary pores in the soil.

Abstract: This invention provides prosthesis delivery systems with atraumatic tips that can be dislodged from the catheter so that the catheter can be easily removed from the body after expanding the prosthesis, by pulling the catheter proximally. With the tip dislodged, the catheter, which is of smaller diameter than the tip can be removed even in instances where the prosthesis does not expand the lumen to a large diameter. This invention also provides prosthesis delivery systems with a contoured protective outer sheath having smaller diameters in proximal portions that normally are acutely bent when the system is in the body, than in distal portions corresponding to the position of the prostheses. These systems are more flexible and the sheaths less likely to kink, especially when configured as part of a large delivery system.

Abstract: An electrical connector is adapted for mounting to a surface of a printed circuit board having a mounting hole leading to a remote surface of the board. The connector includes a dielectric housing having terminals mounted therein and including a board-mounting face. At least one mounting peg projects from the board-mounting face for insertion into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board. The mounting peg is bifurcated to define a pair of legs separated by an axial slit. The legs have arcuate board-mounting surfaces on the outside thereof. The arcuate surface of at least one of the legs is flattened to define a pair of circumferentially spaced end portions.

Abstract: A method for automatically configuring a printer in a network is provided. In practice, an unconfigured printer is communicatively coupled to the network and begins transmitting an advertising protocol. In turn, an entry, varying as a function of the advertising protocol is entered into a table. In response to reading the entry, an auto install program creates a set of print related objects and stores them for use with a print service manager. By reference to the objects, the print service manager communicates information to a broker for indicating to a set of network users that print operations can be performed with the previously unconfigured printer.

Abstract: A process for removing water-soluble contaminates from soil includes laying a mat over and in contact with the contaminated soil, applying water to the soil, permitting the water to be transferred from the soil to the mat, permitting the contaminants to be carried via the water into the mat, and permitting the water to be evaporated from the mat so that the contaminants precipitate in the mat.

Abstract: A shielded electrical connector is adapted to be secured within an opening in a panel. The connector includes a dielectric housing having at least one cavity extending interiorly from a front mating face of the housing for receiving a complementary mating plug connector. A shield is stamped and formed from sheet metal material in a configuration to embrace at least a portion of the housing. The shield includes a generally planar wall insertable into the opening in the panel. A cantilevered tab is struck from the wall and has a secured end and a free end such that the free end extends from the secured end in a direction generally transverse to a direction of insertion of the connector into the panel. The cantilevered tab is generally U-shaped with leg portions of the tab extending generally parallel to the front mating face of the dielectric housing.

Abstract: A prosthesis delivery system having a balloon catheter with an inflatable balloon on its exterior. The balloon is inflatable by injection of fluid through a lumen in the catheter and the balloon is initially partially constrained against inflation by a constraint. A tubular prosthesis is disposed on the catheter over at least a portion of the balloon and a portion of the constraint. The tubular prosthesis has a contracted condition and an expanded condition. The tubular prosthesis is initially disposed on the catheter in the contracted condition. Further, a balloon catheter includes a constraint so that the balloon may be sequentially inflated for dilatation purposes such as in a valvuloplasty operation.

Abstract: This invention provides prosthesis delivery systems with tips constructed to permit both easier advance into the body and easier removal from the body after expanding the prosthesis. The tip includes a distal taper that can gently widen a lumen during advance in instances where the lumen is narrower than the tip and a proximal taper that can gently widen the lumen on retraction in instances where the prosthesis does not immediately expand the lumen to provide clearance for the larger diameter tip.

Abstract: A modular jack is adapted for connecting a cable terminated with a plug to a circuit board. The jack includes a housing having a front face with a receptacle for receiving the plug, a rear face and a bottom face adapted for mounting on the circuit board. A light guide is provided on the housing and includes a front end at the front face of the housing and a remote end near the bottom face of the housing for guiding light from a source thereof on the circuit board to the front of the housing.

Abstract: This invention provides smooth delivery and accurate positioning of prostheses in the body. In embodiments, systems are provided that include elongate members extending generally along the axis of a supporting catheter to a free ends. The elongate members extend through openings in the prosthesis to maintain the position of the prosthesis on the catheter. The prosthesis can be released from the catheter by relative axial motion of the catheter and the elongate members such that the free ends are removed from the openings in the prosthesis. In embodiments, the elongate members hold the distal end of a self-expanding stent at a desired axial location and in radial compaction as a restraining sheath is withdrawn. The friction between the sheath and stent puts the stent under tension, which reduces the radial force on the sheath wall, allowing smoother retraction. Proximal portions of the stent radially expand and axially shorten.

Abstract: A battery-less uninterruptable sequel power supply that converts mechanical rotation generated by a local power source to electrical power in the event of commercial line power distortion or failure is provided. The uninterruptable sequel power supply uses a voltage and frequency-tolerant rectifier-inverter combination that converts the decaying output of a de-accelerating synchronous alternating current machine to a stable alternating current voltage for driving a critical load. In the arrangement of the invention, there is no need to maintain rotary velocity of the synchronous alternating current machine during the transitory period between fault detection and connection of a prime mover.